What does the word culture mean

Contents:

Objectives______________________________________2Chapter I- It's a Historical World History________________________________________ 3Chapter II- It's a Crafty WorldP.S.-I Made This_______________________________4Shlyakhetny odyah. Garments of old made new_____________________________________________8Beautiful clothing from skillful artisan__________________________________________12Conclusion___________________________________ 17Vocabulary____________________________________18Bibliography__________________________________21

Objectives:

To answer why fashion brands are working with artisan entrepreneurs in developing countries To enumerate some of the artisans To describe how are artisans doing their work To express my own point of view

Chapter 1 Its a Historical WorldIt is the nature of the Artisan to express himself through the invention, creation, manufacture, repair, and manipulation of things. These can be artistic masterpieces, technological crafts, or mechanical devices. Virtually everything made by man which you see and use is the work of Artisans. HistoryProviding clothing that fits the population is a critical issue for any designer and manufacturer of apparel.In prehistoric times, Artisans were involved in such ancient arts as pottery-molding, basket weaving, weapons- and tool-making, cave painting, and hut-building. In historical times, an Artisan has typically made his livelihood in such occupations as blacksmith, craftsman, and tradesman a member of a guild who passed his skills on to apprentices. There were numerous other cottage industries, and there was always use for a scribe when not everyone was literate. Whenever and wherever there is something that needs to be made, there is an Artisan ready, willing, and able to make it. And whatever occupation an Artisan finds himself in, he will always apply a high degree of skill and expertise to it. Artisans are technicians in whatever they do.Even if the Artisan does not have an engineering or technical job, he is likely to express his creative inclination in his hobby. People who have a workshop in their home are most likely to be Artisans. They read magazines of applied science like Mechanics Illustrated or Popular Science. These are the handymen of the world who know how to fix everything around the house from a leaky faucet to an electrical switch. They like to work on the car too. Artisans love tools, and are likely to have a lot of them around. Artisans are good with their hands in using these tools. In fact, metaphorically speaking, Artisans are the hands of the body of mankind. They like to manipulate whatever is within hand's reach.

Chapter 2 Its a Crafty WorldWhy fashion brands are working with artisan entrepreneurs in developing countries? P.S.-I Made ThisErica Domesek, founder of DIY site P.S.- I Made This, partners with fashion and lifestyle brands to create crafting kits on a regular basis. (In the past, shes collaborated with everyone from Splendid to Swarovski.) But each year, she also sets a goal for herself to create at least one major give back product. Doing well by doing good is how she puts it.For 2014, Domesek connected with Indego Africa, a nonprofit that partners with women-run artisan cooperatives in Rwanda to help them build profitable business. The profits generated by the collaboration will help fund job-skill training programs like business management, technology and English literacy for Indegos artisan partners. Domesek, who visited six cooperatives in Rwanda earlier this summer, lectured on entrepreneurship to a class of artisans.It wasnt just about the handmade goods, Domesek says of why she teamed up with Indego. Its the fact that theyre getting training in entrepreneurship the education. When the Indego Africa first started gathering data on its cooperatives in 2008, most of the artisans were using income to cover the basics: food, electricity and housing security. Now, many of the artisans are making enough to pay for their children's school foods, make home improvements, invest in livestock and even launch new businesses.P.S.- I Made This isnt a fashion brand in the traditional sense, but Indego works with plenty. In the past, the non-profit has collaborated with Anthropologie on loop scarves, J.Crew on cloth wrap bracelets and Nicole Miller on printed shorts. And its just one of several non-profits that are partnering with apparel and home goods retailers to create products that support entrepreneurs in developing countries. Since 2005, Kate Spade New York has worked with Women for Women International on accessories knitted by groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Rwanda. EDUN, founded by Bono and Ali Hewson in 2005 and backed by LVMH since 2009, has been working with artisans since the beginning and currently produces 85 percent of its collection in sub-Saharan Africa. And West Elm recently announced that it was collaborating with more than 20 artisan groups in 15 countries, which it estimates will impact the lives of 4,500 workers and 18,000 family members. (It's worth mentioning that this stuff doesn't tend to be schlocky: in general, it's beautifully made product that also has an upscale edge. The kinds of things consumers would want to buy regardless of the mission.) There are dozens more examples of brands eager to tap the talents of artisans in developing countries. But there are probably even more companies many not for profit eager to be the liaison between the artisans and the labels. Along with Indego Africa, which was founded in 2007, theres Women for Women International founded in 1993 as well as the Bootstrap Project, co-founded in 2011 by Maxine Bedat. Zady, the e-commerce site which Bedat cofounded in 2013, often sells products from Bootstrap Project artisans. Many of these groups connect artisans with brands, but they also often sell products on their own sites. One startup, Soko, is sort of like an Etsy for artisans. The company gives makers the tools to easily sell their goods via Shopsoko.com. (The goods are shipped from Soko's offices in Nairobi, Kenya.)The most robust fashion-artisan partnership, though, has to be between Maiyet and Nest, an independent non-profit that the luxury brand has been working with since its founding in 2010. Nest identifies artisan groups that have strong leadership and the potential to scale, then works with them to do just that.Its really trying to give them the tools to stand on their own two feet, not to support indefinitely, says Maiyet cofounder Kristy Caylor, who is also its president and creative director.For instance, Caylor works with weavers in Varanasi, India to whom she was introduced by Nest four years ago to create new silks each season, addressing challenges with production as they arise. Early on, Caylor found too many inconsistencies with the fabric. Nest and Maiyet sent in a master weaver to assess the situation, determining that because the women were working from their homes which are typically not climate controlled the material was often altered or damaged. Much of the group made up of both Hindu and Muslim weavers are about to begin working out of a David Adjaye-designed building that will allow them to efficiently produce silks that Maiyet can use for an entire collection's worth of orders. Along with consistency, it's also important to Caylor that the fabrics are fresh and exciting season after season, which means pushing these craftspeople to think in non-traditional ways, either in terms of color or design. Working with the same group year after year is equally as crucial. We want to have a sustainable social impact, to create sustainable employment opportunities," Caylor says.Indeed, one of the downsides to many of these projects are that they arent long term. While an artisan group might benefit from a big order from a single retailer one season, theyre often abandoned the next. Bedat, who has worked with artisans in Tajikistan for several years, says that like Nest, the Bootstrap Project aims to help these groups build long term partnerships - and more than one partnership at a time. We team up with local micro-financing or womens organizations so that these women get the training to develop a market for their product she says. We want to help create sustainable jobs. Bootstrap's profits go toward education that addresses things like basic budgeting and the pricing of products. (Many of these women underprice their work.) West Elm, which has done one-off projects in the past with groups like South Africas Wola Nani Crafts, has pledged that it will make three to five-year commitments with each of the 20 artisan groups with whom its currently partnering.And thats why education is such an important element of Indego Africa, which does many one-off collaborations. While orders offer short-term income, the group is cognizant that it's not a long-term answer. Its definitely one of our biggest challenges its hard to say no to a big order, says Deirdre King, the non-profits creative director. But education allows them to grow in the right way. Indego works with artisan groups in diversifying their client lists, and it's launching its education program this fall to offer even more classes. To be sure, these brand-artisan partnerships are good for both sides: new businesses are blossoming in developing countries, and brands benefit from the halo effect that brings. But the real winner might be the consumer. Its really about storytelling, says Domesek. It brings meaning whether its a necklace or a dress to an already beautiful object.

Shlyakhetny odyah. Garments of old made newThere is a designers atelier in Kyiv which calls itself Shlyakhetny odyah which means Noble Clothes. The atelier designs and makes clothes which are replicas of authentic Ukrainian traditional dresses and garments worn mostly but not only by the upper classes in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. They also make clothes in a style they call Ethno Casual. And they reconstruct age-old clothes which come from the family trunks, and which were once worn at weddings, at various solemn ceremonies, on Sundays to church, or at any other occasions that required something fancier than everyday wear.The group of like-minded designers and tailors who work at the atelier is headed by Ms Lyudmyla Sivtseva who is not only highly enthusiastic about the beauty of the attire of the past, but is full of ideas of how to make such clothes wearable today. The Shlyakhetny odyah people believe that it is a much greater chic to appear in such an attire at a glamorous party than to wear modern-style clothes purchased from the top designers.Says Ms Sivtseva, We are very careful in choosing fabrics, accessories and all the details to make our clothes look truly authentic. We do some considerable research into all the stages of making clothes in the traditional way. We take into consideration the peculiarities of color schemes and other features of clothes depending on the geographical area they originally come from. We do our best to use fabrics which are as close as it is possible to the original fabrics in texture, we use the original patterns and cuts once used to create replicas which retain the most important features of the originals.Also, we take care to preserve the symbolism of certain parts of the dress. The shirt, for example, is a sort of the second skin and the embroidery guards the parts that give access to the skin proper the cuffs, the opening round the neck and the slits, and the lower parts. The approach to embroidery in mens shirts and in womens shirts is different too.Different parts of the womens dresses had different functions and also had different symbolic meanings zapasky, plakhty and obhortky (sort of skirts and aprons) were regarded as protection and enhancement of the reproductive power of the woman; belts of various kinds had, in addition to their function as a part of the dress, a decorative and protective function as well. The ornaments and decoration of the dress indicated the social and family status, and we have to be very careful in using ornamental and decorative patterns in the dresses we make today in order not to violate the age-old traditions. Even the way certain parts of the dress were put on differed depending on whether it was a married or single woman who used themWe do believe that the dresses we design and make, help people who wear them relate to the past of the country they live in, to the traditions and thus we open the way to a heightened national awareness. People learn of ancient customs, traditions and symbolisms through the dress. People wearing our dresses turn up at all sorts of ethnic-culture events ethnic-culture conferences, soirees, and music festivals. We also attend them.We do our best to make traditional culture a part of everyday life, not just a fleeting fancy to be indulged as a whim. The ateliers philosophy is based on the precept that dress is much more than covering, or clothing and accessories, for the human body. The varieties of dress are immense, varying with different sexes, cultures, geographic areas, and historic eras. The Ukrainian traditional dress, particularly that of the upper classes but not necessarily so (the traditional rural womens and mens Sunday dress was highly picturesque and colorful as well), provides an inexhaustible source of ideas for making dresses to be worn today.Traditional dress reflects ages of clothes making and of sophisticated skills of adornment and decoration. Besides, almost every detail and accessory in the traditional dresses carries some symbolic meaning in addition to the sanction of the ages. Traditional dress was supposed to protect the wearer against the pernicious influence of the evil forces, and to show the status and taste of the wearer. Things made by hand with loving care were believed to retain the positive energy of the maker. A bride would make an embroidered shirt for her beloved and her love would be encapsulated in the particular design of the embroidery and in its colors, and in the general design of the garment.

The Shlyakhetny odyah atelier uses only top-quality fabrics and materials, some of which, incidentally, are made at the atelier; this and the dexterous and skilled hands and the perfect taste of the designers and clothes-makers guarantee top quality of their products. They do not slavishly follow the patterns and cuts they find in the authentic traditional clothes they introduce whatever changes are necessary to make the wearer feel comfortable and snug in the clothes created at the atelier.The Shlyakhetny odyah do thorough research into the history of costume to come with the best ideas and a great variety of options for their customers to choose from. They seem to have achieved the impossible Shlyakhetny odyah clothes look both absolutely faithful to tradition, and yet reflect the basic contemporary concepts of clothes design and comfort. A great care is taken to make every little detail and accessory matter in the overall scheme. At the time when globalization robs people around the globe of their age-old traditions, traditional clothing included, the Shlyakhetny odyah atelier makes sure that its customers will be highly distinguished both in the literal sense of standing out and in the metaphoric sense of being different at a reception, presentation, soiree, masque or any other occasion which requires a dress that transgresses the bounds of the ordinary.Rebellion against the established or dominant fashion has been a constant theme in the history of costume. The reasons prompting such rebellion are various: to shock, to attract attention, to protest against the traditional social order, and to avoid current trends. Cultural rebels have often chosen to adopt antique fashions in order to reject, or at least distance themselves from their own time or to identify with what they believe to be a distinctive age.Artists have similarly often preferred older fashions, but this is usually because they wish to achieve an effect of timelessness. The desire to make the wearer look highly distinctive has led to many rebellions in fashion, and the Shlyakhetny odyah atelier is proud that it supplies such cultural rebels with its highly distinctive products. The Shlyakhetny odyah atelier also makes clothes which retain basic elements of the traditional dress, and at the same time are of a kind that are good for everyday use, providing the wearer with the desired level of conspicuousness among the drab standard modern clothes and emphasizing the personality of the wearer, and yet without any clownish or masquerade effect. The desired degree of casualness, which has marked the general trend of world fashion since the mid-twentieth century is happily achieved by the Shlyakhetny odyah designers.Clothes designed and made at the Shlyakhetny odyah atelier find a compromise between the sartorial demands of today and the respect and love of traditions.

Beautiful clothing from skillful artisansSocially conscience Eco-Fashion is defined by the use of organic or natural fibers and fair trade labor in every step of the supply chain. Sustainable products, for any industry including the fashion industry, must be produced with respect for people and the planet. Imagine how much better you would feel, if what you wore was made from sustainable materials and crafted by people paid livable wages in humane and safe workplaces. Their mission is to elevate artisans in the poorest regions of South America to world renowned status in the handicraft textile market while paying a fair living wage. They work with over a dozen fair trade field organizing teams and quality control centers that coordinate over 300 artisan work groups.This is the story of Mario and Maria Huisa. They are just one of the 700 family members who have benefited from collaboration over the past decade. When Jessica first met Maria and Mario, they were living and working in a modest brick home in the highlands of Peru. Together, Mario and Maria wanted to find opportunities to work within their village while continuing to practice their ancestral knitting heritage. They also wanted to find a way to help support their community. Jessica recognized a special spark within Mario and Maria. She explained, 'They had passion and wanted to make a difference within their village and family, but because of their distant location the opportunity for work was scarce.' Through collaboration with Indigenous and Jessica Rodriguez, Mario and Maria were provided with just the opportunity they needed. They started with only one knitting machine and the passion to make a difference in their community.Today, Mario and Maria have built a new home, own ten knitting machines, four linking machines and provide work for up to 40 artisan knitters within their community. Mario and Maria shared in our vision and the fundamental belief that if given the opportunity, change could happen. They are just one example of the courage and tenacity that indigenous artisans possess. Thank you for allowing us to provide the opportunity for change. Artisans of FashionArtisans of Fashion is a social enterprise with social and ecological principals at the very heart of its business practice."Promoting cultural sustainability, authenticity and social change"With a firm commitment to Ethical Fashion, these are the principles they support:1.Fair Working Conditions - from the sourcing of raw materials to creation of products, Artisans of Fashion supports organizations, local village artisans, cooperatives and NGO's who have structured their business practice around ethical principles. This includes fair pay, working hours and conditions, additional health services and facilities for child care where appropriate. 2.Environmental Sustainability - They support organizations who value the use of raw fibers, materials and processes which are sustainable and non-exploitative. Natural fibers including native and organic cottons that are grown at village level, locally grown silk, wool & cashmere is easily recyclable and natural products, they are better for the environment as well as for the health and well-being of the people who wear it. 3.Preservation of traditional skills - Our mandate is to promote and preserve traditional artisan skills with long term benefit to the local community with the establishment of further training and co-operatives.4.Eco Conscious - They support artisan communities and cooperatives that are conscious of the negative impact that chemicals including dyes and finishing processes have on the earth and the environment. They support the use of fabric dyes that are either ISO/AZO free or vegetable dyed from local plants, berries bark or flowers. They promote the use of water based dyes for all printing processes.They look to a continued improvement in our business practices and seek out partners with the same ethics and vision for a sustainable future.Artisans of Fashion is a member of the Ethical Fashion Forum Fellowship 500

Their primary objective is to work with these communities to help them create high quality, hand-crafted product with appeal for the international market. Through these partnerships we aim to help preserve traditional craft skills, support community projects & bring consistent work to communities, mainly where women are effected by extreme poverty allowing them to become financially independent, increase their families income and live their lives with dignity.They work with designers and retail brands to develop unique, artisan produced products that utilize the traditional skills. This provides artisan groups with access to the consumer market with increased production volumes as well as the opportunity to share their stories.Artisans of Fashion promotes and facilitates partnerships between designers and artisans in marginalized communities throughout India with the primary aim to enhance women's economic empowerment. As well as facilitating collaborations we offer design and production services working with designers and retail lifestyle and fashion brands that will provide dignified work at a fair wage as well as safe working conditions that priorities women's health and welfare along with childcare. By introducing designers and mainstream brands to communities in remote regions as well as urban slums, we hope to reduce poverty and create sustainable livelihoods.

1. Anoothi Women- JaipurAOF has partnered with the Anoothi Women in Jaipur to develop a number of projects including the newly established Block Printing Facility in Achrol, outside Jaipur. AOF is developing designs and products that are suitable for the International market & will facilitate partnerships with retail brands for ongoing sales & distribution.

2. Rabari women embroiderers- GujaratAOF has worked on the design development of contemporary designer accessories to appeal to the current Boho Chic consumer in partnership with fashion retailer, SAMBAG. With 10 stores nationally as well as Hong Kong we are looking to help raise awareness of the womens skills and an appreciation of the handcrafted quality.

3. Womens spinning- UttarakhandAOF in partnership with Panchachuli Women Weavers is helping support the establishment of Mandakini Women Weavers rehabilitation project to train the women & elderly left after the devastation from landslides & flooding in 2013 that resulted in the loss of 30,000 lives; to produce handspun, merino wool, cashmere and alpaca yarns & hand knitted accessories suitable for the International market.

4. Women weavers- UttarakhandAOF has been working with Panchachuli Women Weavers to develop designs & contemporary color palettes for accessories & homewares suitable for the International market. AOF in partnership with Australian cricketer, Brett Lee developed a collection of scarves for the Australian market to provide a sustainable income.

5. Block printing- UdaipurAOF has established a collaboration between the ANOOTHI WOMEN in Jaipur and AAVARAN in Udaipur to create beautiful bed throws and table linen suitable for the International market. Aavaran are producing stunning indigo dyed, block printed textiles & the Anoothi women have developed skills in kantha stitching to produce home accessories.

6. Women weavers- Tamil NaduAOF has been working on design development with a group of marginalised women who have been trained in weaving techniques by a local cooperative in the hills north of Madurai developing beautiful handloomed organic cotton towels with contemporary designs suitable for the International market.

Conclusion

Artisans are interested in how things work. But Artisans are so multi-faceted that they can't be boxed into a single field of expertise. They can be in any occupation that generates something new, different, and unique. They also excel at occupations that involve fixing or manipulating things that already exists.Artisans are very concerned with how one thing relates to another thing. They see the physical world as parts, working together. Indeed, they tend to view the entire universe as a giant machine. Objectivity and mental detachment of Artisans has its advantages and disadvantages. Because of their sense of separation and indifference, in their worst expression Artisans can be unperturbed by the thoughts and feelings of other people as they concentrate their mental energy on the creation or manipulation of inanimate matter. Here is the manifestation of the "techno-nerd". It is not that they are unaware of what others think (because they are outwardly focused), but since they see themselves as detached from others, and as rather insignificant parts of a huge mechanistic universe, it doesn't matter what others think about them. This is in contrast to Sages, who are very much concerned to have their audience appreciate them. Artisans are concerned with the substance rather than the image of life. This outward focus of attention upon the physical world also means that Artisans are often unaware of their own inner workings. They may very well be out of touch with themselves.

VocabularyIssue-rezultat, consecintaPottery-olarieLivelihood-trai, mijloace de trai, intretinereBlacksmith-fierarTradesman-negustorGuild-societate, corpoatie, asociatieApprentice-ucenic, novice, incepatorScribe-scriitor, autor, carturarWilling-dispus, pregatitDegree-grad, ordin, rangHandyman-mesterLeaky-permeabilFaucet-robinetSwitch-comutatorTo reach-a ajunge, a atingeTo give back-a inapoia, a returnaFund-fondEntrepreneurship-antreprenoriatLoop-bucla, la, nod, cheotoare, gauraScarve-esarfaTo wrap-a infasuraUpscale-luxos, de luxEdge-margineRegardless-fara deosebireEager-dornic, nerabdator, aprinsLiaison-legaturaInconsistency-inconsecventa, necorcondantaTo asses-a evaluaSustainable-durabilDownside-dezavantajPricing-stabilirea preturilorTo pledge-a se angaja, a promitCommitment-angajamentCognizant-informatThe halo effect-aura, aureola, effect de halou, nimbStorytelling-povestiriTrunk-trunchi, tors, bustFancier-cunoscator, specialistLike-minded-cu aceleasi gusturiAttire-tinutaPeculiarities-particularitatiCertain-anumitApron-orEnhancement-sporireBelt-cureaFleeting-efemer, trecatorPrecept-povata, notiune, instructiuneAdornment-podoabaTo carry-a efectuaWearer-purtatorPernicious-daunatorEncapsulated-incapsulatIncidentally-intimplatorDexterous-dibaci, abil, indemanaticSlavishly-servil, ca un sclavTo rob-a jefuiDistinguished-distins, deosebitSairee-serataTo transgress-a depasi, a gresiTo establish-a stabiliConspicuousness-frapantDrab-monotonTo emphasize-a sublinia, a accentua, a evidentiaSartorial-vestimentarTo elevate-a ridicaRenowned-renumit, slavit, celebruHeritage-mostenire, patrimoniuTenacity-tenacitate, staruinta, perseverentaAim-scopEmpowerment-imputernicire, responsabilizareWelfare-bunastareMainstream-multimeSlum-mahala,cartier

Bibliography

http://www.artisansoffashion.com/our-ethics/ https://www.indigenous.com/artisan-made-clothes-apparel http://fashionista.com/2014/07/fashion-artisan-entreprenuers https://www.facebook.com/ArtisansOfFashion http://www.artisansoffashion.com/artisan-partners/ http://www.artisansoffashion.com/couture-for-a-cause/ http://www.wumag.kiev.ua/index2.php?param=pgs20092/82 http://www.michaelteachings.com/artisan_role.html

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